Holyfield's comeback

[Smokin'Joe]

At first I was a little sckeptical about it but after watching his last couple of fights I've seen a new light. I'll admit I might be abit biased towards it, because Holy was my favorite fighter growing up and maybe it just brings out the kid in me when I see him getting in there and whooping some ass again.

I recently bought his fight vs Savarese, and I can say without doubt he look magnificant. Despite the fact that Savarese is supposivly "hand-picked" this was a great fight, and the most entertaining heavyweight fight I've seen in the past 5 or 6 years, which is a reflection of how weak the HW division is now when to guys in their 40's put on a better show than 20 and 30 year olds in their prime.

Holyfield was powerful, agile, and put punches together for the entire 10 rounds. There was no dull moment in the fight. Putting Big Lou down in the 4th and again in the 10th with a picture perfect left hook a la Frazier, Holy looked awesome. To Lou's credit he showed a ton of heart and had he's moments to.

So Holyfield is now 4-0 in his latest comeback with 2 of which coming by way of knockout. And in my honest opinion if he came in to fight as he did last night against say, Maskaev or one of the other champions, I truly believe he has the ability to win another championship belt. But as far as being the undisputed HW champion again, that's a little much. Whichever way I'm finding myself drawn into Evander's Crusade for the heavyweight championship.

[TBooze]

Holyfield is playing a very dangerous game, this sport has to be respected. The same drive that got Holyfield to the top is keeping him in this sport and delusional of the consequences of a 44 year old still fighting.

[Smokin'Joe]

To be honest, I don´t want Steroidfield to become WC again...

As if I don't hear comment's like this enough from places I've read on youtube and other wealths of boxing knowledge. Why is everybody so against him, I don't really get it. Sure 44 is very old for a normal fighter, but skill can go a long way.

I meen everybody was knockin on Foreman to before he layed the ol coup de grace on Moorer ya know?

[Zakman]

I tell you this - if Evander wins a belt - which is entirely possible in today's mediocre division, there will be little doubt about who the best HW of the last 20 years was!!!!

[NickHudson]

I think a case can be made for Holy being the best HW of the last 20 years, but surely this latest comeback doesnt add to that accolage.

It merely means he soldiered on when his more sensible peers (Tyson Bowe and Lewis) retired?

I tell you this - if Evander wins a belt - which is entirely possible in today's mediocre division, there will be little doubt about who the best HW of the last 20 years was!!!!

[dado]

nah holyfield couldnt beat any of the champions fighting like that,,, if u think of it this way,,, when tyson fought savarese tyson was already shot, and he still knocked out 'big lou' in one round,, now big lou is even older and worst then when he fought tyson and he still took holyfield a whole ten,, now judging by that, this holyfield we have today is even more shot than what tyson was,,, in other words its definately time to retire, or otherwise hes gonna be granted a shot against one of the champions and get totally destroyed and never be the same man again.

[PowerPuncher]

I tell you this - if Evander wins a belt - which is entirely possible in today's mediocre division, there will be little doubt about who the best HW of the last 20 years was!!!!

Yes it'll still be Lennox Lewis

[PowerPuncher]

I'd love to see Holyfield starch Wladdy, which isn't entirely impossible

[Mendoza]

I'd love to see Holyfield starch Wladdy, which isn't entirely impossible

You're a sick man. Wlad could badly injure Holyfield.

[heerko koois]

I'd love to see Holyfield starch Wladdy, which isn't entirely impossible

:think Holyfield does have a 25% chance to do that....

[heerko koois]

You're a sick man. Wlad could badly injure Holyfield.

Yes he could.......in boxing anyone can get hurt.......:bbb

[Mendoza]

Yes he could.......in boxing anyone can get hurt.......:bbb

And boxing does not care about its warriors getting hurt if money is on the line to be made. Holyfield looked good agaisnt an equally shot and much slower Lou Saveresse. Saveresse heard the final gong.

Holyfield's warrior heart was an asset in his salad days. Now its a dangerous liability. Holyfield has been in too many wars. If he fougth Wlad Klitschko, it would be a blood bath. Klitschko has been delivering one punch Ko's. To match Wlad with a pridefull older man is dangerous. Holyfield was TKO'd by James Toney for Pete's sake. I hope the match never happens and if it does, Richard Steele needs be the refreee.

[ChrisPontius]

I'd love to see Holyfield starch Wladdy, which isn't entirely impossible

Prime for prime.... maybe.

Today, it would be a massacre. Holyfield would eat that jab and right hand while not being able to land his own shots because of the speed and size difference. His only hope would be to land his career best headbutt that would not be recognised as a foul and win the fight on a cut stoppage.



Difference between an old Foreman and an old Holyfield is that Foreman had that equalizer called power.. Holyfield is gonna have to outbox his opponents which is very hard with those diminshed reflexes, stamina etc.



By the way Zakman, if Holyfield does win a belt, then surely it improves his legacy, but then again, it also improves Lewis' legacy because he beat Holyfield twice 8 years before he'd still win another title :hey

[DamonD]

Yeah, I thought the Holyfield fans always say he was utterly shot back in '99?
Then what the hell is he doing still picking up wins against decent, if faded, competition, going 10 and 12 rounds without a problem?

I'm glad to see the old codger doing well. But at the end of things, I still see Holyfield's last fight ending in a massive KO loss, most probably to a guy he would've beat in his heyday. Nothing less will make him stop fighting.

[Chaney]

Holyfield's warrior heart was an asset in his salad days. Now its a dangerous liability. Holyfield has been in too many wars. If he fougth Wlad Klitschko, it would be a blood bath. Klitschko has been delivering one punch Ko's. To match Wlad with a pridefull older man is dangerous. Holyfield was TKO'd by James Toney for Pete's sake. I hope the match never happens and if it does, Richard Steele needs be the refreee.I agree.

I have been re-reading on the final act of Ali's career...and it is always heartbreaking to see a great champion (the greatest in this case) go on too long and leave the sport as damaged goods.

Holyfield simply has nothing else left to prove! He is fantastically rich. He may still love competing (as Ali did) but this isn't playing on too long in tennis, where you leave a tournament embarrasingly early...losing in boxing is measured in concussive blows to the brain.

There are a million good causes Holy could put his time, resources and indominitable spirit to. Seeing him carry on like this, I can only conclude his vanity is greater than his common sense.

[Sonny's jab]

I agree.

I have been re-reading on the final act of Ali's career...and it is always heartbreaking to see a great champion (the greatest in this case) go on too long and leave the sport as damaged goods.

Holyfield simply has nothing else left to prove! He is fantastically rich. He may still love competing (as Ali did) but this isn't playing on too long in tennis, where you leave a tournament embarrasingly early...losing in boxing is measured in concussive blows to the brain.

There are a million good causes Holy could put his time, resources and indominitable spirit to. Seeing him carry on like this, I can only conclude his vanity is greater than his common sense.

I do not think the comparison with Ali is a good one.

Ali didn't train hard in his later years, and almost certainly had the beginnings of Parkinsons syndrome in his last two or three fights.

Holyfield trains like a Spartan warrior still, and has passed every medical test out there. He's passed a whole stack of extensive tests, the like of which did not exist in Ali's day.

[UpWithEvil]

Steroids won't protect your brain. Holyfield needs to get out of boxing before he becomes another cautionary tale.

[ChrisPontius]

He's passed a whole stack of extensive tests, the like of which did not exist in Ali's day.

I'm a bit skeptical about this. While i doubt don't there's better control today, i still think Don King can get you through any test as long as there's money to make.

If by tests you meant looking good against journeymen, then he certainly passed the test though.

[Dempsey1238]

Well Holyfiled is at least fighting people his OWN age. I hate to see what would happen if he fought a young gun. Holyfiled would lose if he steps up to the Peter's, or Kilts imo. Sure Holyfiled did good, but I wount put much weight into it as Sal was as shot as Holyfiled and a lesser fighter of couse.

[Sonny's jab]

I'm a bit skeptical about this. While i doubt don't there's better control today, i still think Don King can get you through any test as long as there's money to make.

In Holyfield's case, I dont think Don King or anyone else was a factor. Holyfield's showing against Larry Donald was so bad he had eliminated himself from being an asset to these big promoters and TV companies. HBO's Larry Merchant had spent the entire Donald fighting talking about Holyfield needs to retire.

It was Holyfield v. NY commission, and NY wanted him to FAIL these tests to justify their barring him from fighting. But Holyfield passed them all with flying colours.
And the Commision still left his suspension in place.

[hopkinsfan07]

Holyfield looked great in his last fight i think he could go on another 1-2 years maybe getting a title on the way

[doublesuited]

Any titleholder beats Holyfield.

Savarese made the fight somewhat competetive... enough said.

[FlatNose]

Yeah, so Holyfield looked great pummeling another has been that is more washed up than even Evander is. Remember it wasn't too long ago that an obese middleweight dropped Evander flat on his face and he's deteriorated a bit since then..The heavyweights are a division of very beatable guys right now, and yeah, on a given night even Holyfield could beat some of them, but he's very vulnerable to bad injury at this point.George Foreman was an exception, not the rule.

[Chaney]

I do not think the comparison with Ali is a good one.

Ali didn't train hard in his later years, and almost certainly had the beginnings of Parkinsons syndrome in his last two or three fights.

Holyfield trains like a Spartan warrior still, and has passed every medical test out there. He's passed a whole stack of extensive tests, the like of which did not exist in Ali's day.Ali was passed as fit to fight Holmes, only after a two-day renal and neurological examination by the Mayo clinic. This was despite noticably slurring his words, hopping with less than the expected agility, having tingling in his hands and being less than 100% accurate when asked to touch his nose with his finger.

I do not doubt Holyfields dedication, but I question WHY he is doing this without financial need when he has already proved himself a great fighter. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

He may train like a demon, but his brain still will rattle in his skull with every blow.

[amhlilhaus]

holyfield has fought against guys who aren't big punchers. maskaev who is considered the weakest of the champs has a good right hand, even he would beat up holyfield badly. I see holyfield losing his title bid embarrasingly and saying afterwards ' I wasn't right tonight, but I just get back in line, I will retire undisputed heavyweight champion'

[ChrisPontius]

HBO's Larry Merchant had spent the entire Donald fighting talking about Holyfield needs to retire.



Gotta love Merchant. :lol:

[Smokin'Joe]

Everybody keeps going back to the Donald and Toney fight, but Holyfield is a completely different fighter. I cringed when I saw him get dominated in both those fights, and I was completely against any sort of comeback when I first heard of it. But having seen his last 4 comeback fights, It's clear he still has it, and seems to be getting better. Fres Oquendo was robbed against Chris Byrd and gave Tua and Ruiz, and hard time, but Holyfield was able to defeat him. The combinations, speed, and most of all timing he was able to show against Savarese and Maddalone was also very impressive, despite the fact that these guys aren't a couple of Jersey Joes. I'm not saying pit him against Kiltchko or Peter or anything like that, but it's very possible he could get his hands on a title shot.

I honestly think Maskaev vs Holyfield would be an entertaining fight to watch, with Holyfield having enough left in the tank to outbox the Russian. Then again if Maskaev has to get past Peter which is a feat in itself.

[BOGART]

Holyfield-Savarese was a decent fight and Holy didn't look too bad either. He looks better now than the guy who was getting beaten handily by Donald and Toney. Maybe shoulder surgery has helped, I also think a lot of it has to do with the caliber of fighters he's fighting and the styles they employ. While Holyfield looks good for being 44 and through all the wars hes been in, I think he has little chance to pick up a belt let alone unify anything.

Of the 4 current champions the only one he has any chance with would be Maskaev. Even that one I see Holy being a solid underdog. Chagaeva and Sultan both put a sustained beatin on the old warrior. Wlad-Holy would resemble Holmes-Ali, maybe even worse due to Wlad's huge offensive firepower.

I'm all for Holyfield continuing his career if that's what he chooses to do. He's still capable of hanging with the right fringe contedners and could even give certain contenders a run for their money. I just hope when he does get another title shot, and I do think he'll get one, he is matched up with the right one and not someone that will seriously hurt him.

[fists of fury]

Funny, I would have thought Holy fans would be clamouring for him to STOP fighting.
Let's face it, any sort of success in the ring only encourages him, and he's in that period of his life where it's so easy to wind up punchy. His age makes him vulnerable to the long-term effects of getting punched repeatedly in the head. As it is, Holy slurrs his words a bit. That condition is only going to get worse if he keeps on fighting.

Part of me would like to see how far he could go, but at the end of the day, most comebacks end in tears. Surely we must - as fans of boxing - hope that he hangs 'em up and finds something to keep him busy outside of boxing.

[Chaney]

I remember reading that Ali's daughter was desperate for her father to lose against Berbick. She knew that if he won, he would take it as encouragement, and keep on and on and on...

[Cojimar 1945]

Some may have found the Holyfield-Savarese fight entertaining but many heavyweights out there would be favored to beat Savarese. The top heavyweights in the division would be hugely favored to beat Savarese so I don't see how the fight would suggest the division is weak.

[pipe wrenched]

Go and Give Em HELL HOLYFIELD!!!!

[jhar26]

I tell you this - if Evander wins a belt - which is entirely possible in today's mediocre division, there will be little doubt about who the best HW of the last 20 years was!!!!
If he takes Wlad's belt, maybe.

[divac]

Yeah, I thought the Holyfield fans always say he was utterly shot back in '99?
Then what the hell is he doing still picking up wins against decent, if faded, competition, going 10 and 12 rounds without a problem?

I'm glad to see the old codger doing well. But at the end of things, I still see Holyfield's last fight ending in a massive KO loss, most probably to a guy he would've beat in his heyday. Nothing less will make him stop fighting.


I'm not one of those that are on the current bandwagon.
Next to Zakman, I'm probably Holyfield's biggest fan on this board.

I've seen enough of Holyfield since the Toney fight to convince me he has no business fighting.

Even in a fight I thought he won, against Fres Oquendo, he looked unwilling to pull the trigger when openings were there.

I have'nt seen the Savarese fight, but I dont have too.
It does'nt suprise me that Holyfield would look good vs a fighter who's more past it than he is.
Lou is a slow plodding fighter that comes right too you. At this age in Holyfield's career, thats exactly the type of fighter that he needs to make him look halfway decent.

There might be one or two current top Heavyweights that Holyfield could make a run against. But a fighter like Maskaev is'nt anybody special. Holyfield might be able to get past Maskaev if he has a great night.
But whats the point really?????
It saddens me that Holyfield is still talking Undisputed Heavyweight.....

Wlad, Peter, Vitali, and even a couple of the other champions who are in their full primes as champions......absolutely no way that Evander has an honest chance of coming anywhere close to taking those guys.

I'll always root for Holyfield, but I'm scared for him everytime he steps in the ring!

[My dinner with Conteh]

I'm not one of those that are on the current bandwagon.
Next to Zakman, I'm probably Holyfield's biggest fan on this board.

I've seen enough of Holyfield since the Toney fight to convince me he has no business fighting.

Even in a fight I thought he won, against Fres Oquendo, he looked unwilling to pull the trigger when openings were there.

I have'nt seen the Savarese fight, but I dont have too.
It does'nt suprise me that Holyfield would look good vs a fighter who's more past it than he is.
Lou is a slow plodding fighter that comes right too you. At this age in Holyfield's career, thats exactly the type of fighter that he needs to make him look halfway decent.

There might be one or two current top Heavyweights that Holyfield could make a run against. But a fighter like Maskaev is'nt anybody special. Holyfield might be able to get past Maskaev if he has a great night.
But whats the point really?????
It saddens me that Holyfield is still talking Undisputed Heavyweight.....

Wlad, Peter, Vitali, and even a couple of the other champions who are in their full primes as champions......absolutely no way that Evander has an honest chance of coming anywhere close to taking those guys.

I'll always root for Holyfield, but I'm scared for him everytime he steps in the ring!


Good post, I'm with you there. I loved Evander, but he's only going to damage his health- he could end up demented. :-(